Putting lane

ABSTRACT

A PUTTING LANE INCLUDING A SIMULATED GRASS CARPET WITH CUPS HAVING DIFFERENT SCORING VALUES AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A GOLF BALL PUTTED ALONG SAID LANE, AN ELECTRIC LIGHT OR SIGNAL FOR EACH CUP, ENERGIZING MECHANISM FOR EACH LIGHT OR SIGNAL, AND A RETURN FOR A BALL RECEIVED IN SAID CUPS. THE ENERGIZING MECHANISM MAY TAKEN THE FORM OF AN UNBALANCED TROUGH SWINGABLY MOUNTED BELOW EACH CUP AND INCLUDING AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH, SUCH AS A MERCURY SWITCH, WHICH IS ACTUATED WHEN A BALL DROPS THROUGH THE CUP ONTO THE TROUGH AND TILTS SAME DOWNWARDLY.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventor Irvin G. Hertenstein Rte. #5, Mount Vernon. HI. 62864 A F 6t 7 H n 2 h d m w n o m D U s e u 01. H a wm Uri l A a tM e U .1 e a w w S m0 D M w N a /.nv 4 3 w E w W 9 m 9 m0 nn .l PA 0 N 5 mm .mm m ma w n I 7 W6 9 1 m6 9 mt o Mwfi r l N n 4 em n 3 6 u 7 8OJC6 0 d N d Wmm AHP ll] 25 URN ABSTRACT: A putting lane including a simulated grass carpet with cups having different scoring values and adapted to receive a golf ball putted along said lane, an electric light or signal for each cup, energizing mechanism for each light or signal, and a return for a ball received in said cups. The energizing mechanism may taken the form of an unbalanced trough swingably mounted below each cup and including an electrical switch, such as a mercury switch, which is actuated when a ball drops through the cup onto the trough and tilts same downwardly.

GE 6 5 7 m muo mW /6 y4 bb78 7 1 66 .AA N m m N u "2 m m mm W m m m m .m M M w w m m m A m m m m L m m r 0 m m m N5 H In L 01 Ex 0 m U S t. k P5 U I F l l l l 4 2 l. 0 5 5 5 5 l l l l PUTTING LANE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 673,441 filed Oct. 6, 1967, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention is in the field of amusement devices and games.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art devices have been complicated, complex, expensive, incomplete, lacking in appeal, and failing to teach the proper physical exercise, mental alertness and muscular coordination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS The invention is a putting lane of any desired length for disposition on a flat support surface within a building, where it can be available for use during all the seasons of the year in fair and inclement weather, or if preferred may be used out of doors. It is designed to interest, amuse, entertain, teach mental alertness and muscular coordination, as well as give physical exercise and well being to the human body. The putting lane is equipped with side rails which retain the ball in the lane, and it has a simulated grass putting surface with a putting pad at one end and a backstop at the opposite end adjacent to which there are cups or openings into which a golf ball is putted. These cups or openings are spaced across the lane with varying score values, the highest value being given to the center cup or opening and with lights mounted on the backstop, one for each cup or opening, while beneath each cup or opening is located a pivoted ball receiver carrying a switch for energizing the respective lights when a golf ball is received, and a ball return is provided so that from the receiver the ball will roll onto a collection tray and then along the ball return to a putting area.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relatively simple, practical, efficient, full-size putting lane for use by golfers and nongolfers and which can be readily installed similar to the installation of a bowling alley within a building or exteriorally thereof, and including an electrical signal system which can be readily plugged into a house current or other source of electrical energy and which device will interest, entertain or amuse, promote mental alertness, muscular coordination, and improve the skill of the user through needed exercise and the maintenance of the body in good physical condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, a layout of the lighting or signaling system with the several individual switch operating mechanisms and the ball return;

FIG. 3, a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4, an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT The putting lane of the present invention comprises a body unit having an elongated generally horizontal surface 11 of simulated grass and with side rails 12 limiting the sidewise travel of the golf ball. At one end of the surface is located a putting pad 13 which may be of rectangular or other configuration, preferably with a friction surface 14 and on which a person can stand, place a golf ball thereon, and putt such ball along the surface toward a series of cups or openings 15, 16 and 17 spaced across the surface 11. Preferably the cups are of a size substantially equal to the size of cups on each of the greens of a regulation golf course. If desired the cups -17 may be staggered along the length of the surface 11, as illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1, for practicing putts of different lengths. At the end of the generally horizontal surface 11, a

transverse opening 28 is provided across the width of the surface 11 and through which golf balls which miss the cups fall by gravity onto a collector 25, as will be described later.

Beyond the cups and the transverse opening 28 is a backstop 18 with signals 15, 16' and 17', each being adapted to be energized by the dropping of a golf ball through the cor responding opening or cup 15, 16 or 17. The openings or cups 15, 16 and 17 may be allotted any desired score value, such as 15, 10 and 5 points, respectively, with the center cup or opening having the score value 15 points, the more remote opening a score value of 5 points, and intermediate cup or opening alloted the score value of 10 points.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, beneath each of the openings or cups l5, l6 and 17 is an elongated tiltable or rockable trough or receiver 19 having an open end and such trough is pivotally mounted on a supporting rod or shaft 20 carried by either the side rails 12 or the bottom of the surface 11. Each trough or receiver 19 carries thereon and provides a support for a mercury or other type of switch 21 with conductors 22 and 23 electrically connected to the signals 15', 16' and 17' corresponding to the openings 15, 16 and 17. A connector 24 may be provided for supplying electrical energy from a house electrical system or other source. The end of the trough with the switch 21 is slightly heavier than the other end so that such other end normally will swing upwardly into engagement with a stop such as the bottomof the surface 11. In this position the switch 21 and the electric circuit are open so that no signals are energized.

In use when a ball is putted and drops through one of the cups and onto one of the troughs or receivers 19, the receiver will tilt, rock or pivot about the rod or shaft 20 until it engages a lower stop such as the collector 25 which is located below the shaft 20. The tilting of the trough 19 will complete an electric circuit through switch 21 and temporarily energize a corresponding signal 15', 16' or 17' to indicate the score value to be credited to the person who putted the ball. The ball which has dropped onto the receiver 19 will roll by gravity onto the collector 25 and therefrom into and along a ball return trough 26 beneath the side rail 12 to a station 27 in the putting pad 13. From this position it can be readily picked up and placed on the putting pad for restroking. As soon as the ball has been discharged from the trough or receiver 19 into the collector 25, the trough 19 will return to its initial position and break the circuit to the signal.

A ball which fails to fall into one of the cups or openings 15, 16 or 17 either will not receive a score value or will receive a minus score value, depending upon the wishes of the players. If a ball which does not fall into a opening is stroked strongly enough, it will be discharged through the opening 28 where it will fall by gravity directly onto the collector 25 and will return to the station 27 by the ball return trough 26. A ball which stops on the elongated surface without falling through one of the openings must be retrieved manually.

It is noted that the elongated surface 11 may be generally horizontal, or may be slanted slightly upwardly from the putting pad 13 so that the ball will return to the station 27 by gravity.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a full-size putting lane is provided for use by golfers and nongolfers, which will interest, amuse, entertain, afford much needed exercise and promote mental alertness and muscular coordination so essential to the physical well being. Further, it is inexpensive to produce, simple to use, and will provide lasting enjoyment.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for developing skill and accuracy in the putting of a golf ball comprising an elongated surface having a plurality of spaced openings therein, a trough swingably mounted in unbalanced condition below each of said openings, each of said troughs having an open end portion disposed directly below the associated opening in a position to receive a ball which falls therethrough, said open end portion normally being inclined upwardly by the unbalanced condition, upper stop means for limiting the upward movement of the open end portion of each trough, switch means carried by each of said troughs, signal means electrically connected to said switch means, lower stop means located below the open end portion of each of said troughs in a position to limit downward movement of the trough when a ball is received within said open end portion and overcomes the unbalanced condition of said trough, and ball return means spaced below the open end portion of each of said troughs to permit a golf ball to roll by gravity from the open end portion of a trough onto said ball return means and return the ball to the opposite end of the elongated surface, so that a golf ball falling through one of the openings will be received within the associated trough and the weight of the ball will swing the open end of the trough downwardly to energize the switch means and permit the ball to roll by gravity onto said ball return means, after which the trough returns to its initial position against said upper stop means.

2. The structure of claim 1 including a backstop spaced from one end of said surface and adapted to support said signal means, said ball return means having a portion located below the space between said backstop and said elongated surface so that a ball which is discharged from the end of the surface will be returned by said ball return means.

3. The structure of claim 1 including a putting pad at the end of said elongated surface remote from said openings.

4, The structure of claim 1 in which said plurality of openings are substantially in transverse alignment.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which said ball return means includes a collector for receiving golf balls from each of said troughs. 

